Permanency Specialist

Position:   Permanency Specialist   
Classification:   Full-time, Non-exempt
Reports to: Mentor Program Specialist             
Company: Texans Together
Location: Houston, TX

Position Description:
The Permanency Specialist supports children and families throughout the child welfare process by managing cases after children have been removed from their homes and placed in substitute care. This role assesses each child’s needs, coordinates services and evaluations, conducts kinship home studies, and ensures caregivers have the resources and information needed to provide safe, stable care. The Specialist works closely with children, families, foster caregivers, community partners, and legal stakeholders to develop permanency plans, identify permanent living arrangements, facilitate reunification when appropriate, and advocate for the child’s well-being. Responsibilities include monthly child visits, court preparation and testimony, case documentation, and collaboration with community, medical, legal, and law enforcement partners to achieve positive outcomes for children and families. 
Permanency Specialists may voluntarily participate in the organization’s mentoring program in accordance with the requirements of the Professional Development training and the federal court litigation. Participation as a mentor is intended to be optional but depending on mentor availability, staff may be assigned a mentoring role as needed to fill Permanency Specialist vacancies.

This position may be filled at the Permanency Specialist I, II, III, or IV level based on the selected candidate's education, relevant experience, demonstrated competencies, and organizational requirements. Placement within a level does not substantially change the position's essential functions.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Receive cases from investigators after children are removed from their homes and placed in care outside their homes.
• Determine each child’s needs and ensure that appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments are made, ensuring that all services are focused on achieving positive permanency.
• Work with children, families, and communities to plan for a child's permanency.
• Identify potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them. 
• Conduct search for potential kinship providers throughout the life of the case. Complete home studies of a child's family members or family friends (kinship providers) who might care for the child.
• Meet with the parents to assess child safety and risk factors, identify behavioral changes necessary to ensure child safety, connect families/parents to appropriate services and resources to address the identified needs and support toward positive permanency outcome.
• Meet and participate in case meetings and conferences with children, parents, relatives, family friends, foster families, and other involved parties in homes, community settings, and other appropriate locations accommodating family needs and schedules.  
• Collaborate with the Placement Team, including Kinship staff, to identify, coordinator, and support appropriate  placement options for children, as needed.
• Conduct monthly visits with children to assess their safety and well-being in their current placement, to plan for permanency, and to discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
• Attend and participate in court hearings related to children and families, including communicating with relevant parties in the case prior to hearings, preparing court reports and documentation, providing testimony regarding the child’s needs, family progress, case activities, efforts toward achieving permanency.
• Maintain timely communication with children, parents, caregivers, court-appointed attorneys, and guardian’s ad litem, and other appropriate parties regarding the child’s circumstances, case progress, and significant events.
• Collaborate with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure that  have what they need to care for the child or youth placed with them, including providing timely case updates, returning calls, responding to questions and concerns, and in some areas of the state providing after-hours support as required (i.e., being available 24 hours a day/7 day a week at certain times)
• Transition children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
• Supervise adoptive placements until the adoption is final or until the case is transferred to an adoption caseworker.
• Document case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships between Child Protective Investigations staff and law enforcement officials, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Education, or Public Health.
• Minimum one (1) year case management experience in CPS, CPI, DFPS.
• Previous professional or volunteer experience in a government agency, nonprofit, child protection, foster care, juvenile justice, mental health, or substance abuse services.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care and/or experience conducting interviews or assessments with children and families.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience providing mentorship, coaching, or guidance to staff in CPS, CPI, or DFPS roles preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of child development and family dynamics.
• Skilled in effective verbal and written communication.
• Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Skilled in problem solving techniques to assess situations, identify appropriate solutions, and address case-related challenges.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers and standard office software applications.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, community partners, and multidisciplinary professionals.
• Ability to demonstrate cultural awareness, sensitivity, and respect when working with diverse children, families, caregivers, coworkers, community partners, and other work-related contacts.
• Ability to use effective time-management skills to make sure all key tasks are done.
• Ability to travel and attend child and family visits as well as other work-related appointments and meetings after 5pm.
• Ability to be on-call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours.
• Ability to work in an emotion-filled environment and which may require conducting home visits in isolated or high crime areas and may involve exposure to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.

Work Conditions:

• Environment: Home-based
• Range of Schedule: Mon – Fri, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Travel: Frequent (Must have reliable transportation, valid Texas Driver License, and current Auto Insurance)

DePelchin is Proud to be an Equal Opportunity Workplace.

DePelchin is committed to selecting and employing the best and most qualified person available for each job opening without unlawful discrimination of any kind. Additionally, DePelchin is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), marital or parental status, veteran status, religion, national origin, age, disability, family medical history, genetic information, or political affiliation.